The Safe Kid
by PhoenixVersion1
Summary: Janna tells Star about how she met Marco.


"Let's see... Ooh, I know! What was Marco like when you first met him?" She asked excitedly, propped up with a heart-shaped pillow under her chin. It had been Star's idea to have a sleepover with Janna at the Diaz Household, and the girls had a full night eating pizza, cake, and other junk food, watching movies, and now asking each other random questions.

Janna's smile melted into a frown. "It... was a long time ago. I don't really remember it." She said dismissively; eyeing her soda like it was the most interesting thing in the World.

"Oh come on Janna-Banana! Tell me! Tellmetellmetellme!" Star bounced up and down enthusiastically. Janna had to roll her eyes at her friend's antics. Even when asking awkward questions, Star had a way of making you want to pour your soul out to her. This story though...

"It's not a happy story, Star" She said quietly, more to herself than to her friend.

The Princess quirked an eyebrow at her friend. What could she possibly mean by that? Curiosity won out in the end, and she begged once more with laser-puppy dog eyes. "Janna, please tell me. What happened?"

The raven-haired girl hesitated, but the concerned look on her friend's face won out. Knowing Star, she wouldn't let this go. "Fine," she sighed internally as she began the story. "we were both almost five and met at the Echo Creek Public Pool. It was the first day of summer and the pool was packed. We started playing games in and around the kiddie pool. I was wearing these awful yellow arm floats, and I remember thinking that I wouldn't be any good at Tag with them on, so I took them off. I was trying to get away from Marco and I-," she swallowed and took a shaky breath. Tears threatened to spill out as she continued. "I guess I was too close to the edge of the big pool. I slipped and went underwater in the deep end."

Star audibly gasped at the revelation, but said nothing so she could continue. "I panicked and started tried to suck in air in the water. It was awful, not being able to breathe. I was choking and gagging with chlorinated water burning my nose and mouth like fire. I remember looking up at all these people above the water having a good time. No one saw me. No one cared."

Janna wiped her eyes with the sleeve of her pajamas, and kept going. Then, I saw a bunch of bubbles from someone jumping in. It was Marco coming to my rescue with this incredibly determined look on his face."

Star had been trying to keep from crying as she felt the raw emotion Janna experienced. The hearts on her cheeks had transformed into teardrops and were now threatening to spill down her face. She sniffled and said "Then what happened?"

Tears began to stream down Janna's face as she recounted what had happened. "Marco got under me and pushed me up until I was out of the water. I heaved and coughed out water for what seemed like an awfully long time. My mom saw me coughing and crying and ran over. A crowd of people gathered around to see, and I looked out but didn't see Marco. Then I heard his mom scream. He was at the bottom of the pool."

Star covered her mouth with one hand, as she cried with Janna. "His dad jumped in and pulled him out, but there was no pulse. His skin was pale and his lips looked almost blue. He... he died for me, Star." She started openly sobbing at this point, her body shaking as she did so. Star hugged her friend tightly, until Janna's sobs became sniffles again.

"I watched his dad perform CPR on him right in front of me. It was horrifying. Him not moving. His mom screaming hysterically." She took a drink of soda and kept going. "Finally he revived, coughing out even more water than I did. The paramedics showed up and took both of us to the hospital to check us out. His memory was effected. He knew that he knew me, just not how."

"Janna, I'm so sorry for asking you about it." Star tearfully apologized, rubbing her own eyes.

"It's okay, it feels good to get this out." She sighed. "He doesn't really remember anything about that day, but I can't forget it. He became a lot more cautious after it, that's why now he's such a safe kid."

Worn out from all of the crying and emotional toll, soon after they decided to go to sleep. Janna was asleep in moments, but Star laid awake looking at her friend and thinking about her best friend.

Did Janna love Marco? She certainly seemed to have a special attraction to him. Star decided then and there to do everything in her power to make Marco aware of Janna's feelings. Her bestie deserved happiness after all, and maybe she could revive this dormant part of their relationship.


End file.
